Display unit and electronic apparatus

ABSTRACT

A display unit includes a display section having flexibility, and a bending control section configured to limit a movable shaft in bending the display section to one direction in a display surface and allowed to maintain the display section in an arbitrary bending state.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/828,479, filed Dec. 1, 2017, which is acontinuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/408,129,filed Dec. 15, 2014 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,854,667), which is a NationalStage Entry of PCT/JP2013/065145, filed May 31, 2013, which claims thebenefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application JP2012-153208, filed Jul. 9, 2012, the entire content of which is herebyincorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a display unit having flexibility suchas a so-called electronic paper, and an electronic apparatus includingsuch a display unit.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years, various developments of ultraslim display units calledelectronic papers (e-papers) have been carried out by variousmanufacturers (for example, refer to PTLs 1 and 2). For example, in PTL1, a so-called electronic book (e-book) using such a display unit as abook is proposed.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

PTL 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.2010-218102

PTL 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.2010-157060

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Since the above-described display unit is thin and highly flexible, thedisplay unit is allowed to be physically bent or twisted. Therefore,various user interfaces such as a user interface in which a sensorconfigured to detect a bend or the like by a user is mounted to switchdisplay contents by such a user operation are achievable. Therefore, insuch a display unit having flexibility, an improvement in convenience tousers is generally desired.

Thus, it is desirable to provide a display unit and an electronicapparatus that are capable of improving convenience to users.

A display unit of an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: adisplay section having flexibility; and a bending control sectionconfigured to limit a movable shaft in bending the display section toone direction in a display surface and allowed to maintain the displaysection in an arbitrary bending state.

An electronic apparatus of an embodiment of the present disclosureincludes the above-described display unit of the embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

In the display unit and the electronic apparatus of the embodiments ofthe present disclosure, the movable shaft in bending the display sectionhaving flexibility is limited to one direction in the display surface.Therefore, the display section is less prone to breakage, and a displayimage on the display section is easily viewed. Moreover, the bendingcontrol section is allowed to maintain the display section in thearbitrary bending state; therefore, the display unit and the electronicapparatus are allowed to be used at an arbitrary bending degreeincluding a flat state when in use (when an display image is viewed) andwhen not in use (for example, when the electronic book is stored orcarried in a folded state).

According to the display unit and the electronic apparatus of theembodiments of the present disclosure, the bending control sectionconfigured to limit the movable shaft in bending the display section toone direction in the display surface and allowed to maintain the displaysection in the arbitrary bending state is provided; therefore, while thedisplay section is less prone to breakage, an display image is allowedto be easily viewed, and use at an arbitrary bending degree isachievable. Therefore, in the display unit having flexibility,convenience to users is allowed to be improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DIAGRAMS

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view illustrating a schematic configurationexample of an electronic book as a display unit or an electronicapparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2A is a schematic perspective view for describing a specificconfiguration and functions of a flexible supporting member illustratedin FIG. 1.

FIG. 2B is another schematic perspective view for describing thespecific configuration and functions of the flexible supporting memberillustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration exampleof the electronic book illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4A is a schematic perspective view for describing functions of theelectronic book illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4B is a schematic perspective view for describing functions of theelectronic book illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of awarning operation in the electronic book illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view illustrating another example ofthe warning operation in the electronic book illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7A is a schematic plan view illustrating a schematic configurationexample of an electronic book according to a modification example.

FIG. 7B is a schematic plan view illustrating a schematic configurationexample of another electronic book according to the modificationexample.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detailbelow referring to the accompanying drawings. It is to be noted thatdescription will be given in the following order.

1. Embodiment (An example of an electronic book including a bendingcontrol section configured with use of a flexible supporting member)

2. Modification Examples (Another configuration example of the bendingcontrol section, an example of another electronic book, and the like)

EMBODIMENT

[Schematic Configuration of Electronic Book 1]

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a schematic configuration of anelectronic book 1 as a display unit or an electronic apparatus accordingto an embodiment of the present disclosure in a plan view (an X-Y planview). The electronic book 1 is a thin flexible display formed by makingcomponents of a soft material. In this electronic book 1, like an actualbook formed by binding a plurality of pieces of paper (pages), an entireapparatus is allowed to be closed (folded) or opened. A user is allowedto browse contents (for example, a page of a book, or the like)displayed on the electronic book 1 while having a feeling of actuallyreading a book. The electronic book 1 includes a display section 11, anenclosure 10, and a pair of flexible supporting members 12 a and 12 b(bending control sections).

(Display Section 11)

The display section 11 is a display panel configured to display animage, based on an image signal, and may have, for example, aconfiguration in which an organic electroluminescence device (an organicEL device), a liquid crystal display device, an electrophoretic device,or the like is sandwiched by a resin film such as plastic. The displaysection 11 has flexibility, and is configured with use of a drive deviceconfigured of an organic TFT (Thin Film Transistor), and the like inaddition to the above-described various kinds of display devices. It isto be noted that such a display section 11 has an anisotropic shape (arectangular shape) in which, an X-axis direction and a Y-axis directionherein refer to a long-shaft direction and a short-shaft direction,respectively.

(Enclosure 10)

The enclosure 10 is an exterior member that has flexibility and isconfigured to contain the display section 11 in a visible manner. Morespecifically, the enclosure 10 is configured of a resin film (atransparent film) having softness and transparency (light transmittance)to display light, for example, a material such as an olefin-based resin.Moreover, the enclosure 10 includes a transparent display region 10 a(an effective display region) allowing the display section 11 to bevisible and a frame region 10 b that is located in a periphery (an outeredge) of the display region 10 b and is not transparent. An operationsection 10 c (an operation button or the like) used by the user tooperate the electronic book 1 is provided to the frame region 10 b. Itis to be noted that such an enclosure 10 also has an anisotropic shape(a rectangular shape) in which the X-axis direction and the Y-axisdirection refer to a long-shaft direction and a short-shaft direction,respectively, based on the anisotropic shape (the rectangular shape) ofthe display section 11.

(Flexible Supporting Members 12 a and 12 b)

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, each of the flexible supportingmembers 12 a and 12 b may include a core 121 that extends along apredetermined direction (the X-axis direction in this case) and isfreely deformable and a pair of control members 122 a and 122 b that areso provided on a front surface side and a back surface side (on bothsurface sides along the Y-axis direction) of the core as to sandwich thecore 121 therebetween. In other words, in each of the flexiblesupporting members 12 a and 12 b, the core 121 is sandwiched between therectangular (plate-like) control members 122 a and 122 b. Therefore,each of the flexible supporting members 12 a and 12 b has a shapeextending along the X-axis direction as a whole.

Each of the control members 122 a and 122 b is a member configured tocontrol (define) a deformation direction of the core 121 to onepredetermined direction that will be described later, and may be made ofa material having softness such as SUS (Steel Use Stainless; stainlesssteel). On the other hand, the core 121 may be made of, for example, aheavy metal material such as lead (Pb). However, when an environmentalload or the like in disposal or the like is considered, instead of sucha heavy metal material, the core 12 may be desirably configured with useof the following resin material. In other words, for example, the core12 may be desirably configured with use of a stretched olefin-basedresin sheet, or may be desirably configured by combining (laminating)such a resin sheet and a thermoplastic resin film. In a case where thecore 121 is configured with use of such a resin material, as describedabove, while an environmental load in disposal or the like is allowed tobe reduced, the core 121 is allowed to cope with a smaller bendingdiameter (radius of curvature), and resistance to repeated use isenhanced (resistance to such use is improved). Moreover, in a case wherethe core 121 is configured with use of such a resin material, thedeformation direction of the core 121 is allowed to be controlled to alaminate direction (directivity is provided to the deformationdirection); therefore, the control members 122 a and 122 b made of theabove-described SUS or the like are not necessary. It is to be notedthat these members in the flexible supporting members 12 a and 12 b areexpected to exhibit a property of being easily charged; therefore, asmeasures against charging, an antistatic member (not illustrated) may befurther provided in the flexible supporting members 12 a and 12 b.

By such a configuration, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, each ofthe flexible supporting members 12 a and 12 b is freely deformable in anarbitrary shape along the one predetermined direction (the Z-axisdirection in this case). In other words, each of the flexible supportingmembers 12 a and 12 b is so configured as to be deformable in anarbitrary curve in a Z-X plane in this case.

In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 1, each of the flexible supportingmembers 12 a and 12 b is attached on (attached along) the enclosure 10.Specifically, these flexible supporting members 12 a and 12 b are sodisposed on both ends along the Y-axis direction of the enclosure 10 ina display surface (an X-Y plane) as to extend along the X-axisdirection. More specifically, the flexible supporting member 12 a is sodisposed in a portion above the display region 10 a of the frame region10 b in the enclosure 10 as to extend along the X-axis direction. Theflexible supporting member 12 b is so disposed in a portion below thedisplay region 10 a of the frame region 10 b in the enclosure 10 as toextend along the X-axis direction.

By such a configuration, each of the flexible supporting members 12 aand 12 b is allowed to limit a movable shaft in bending (warping) thedisplay section 11 to one direction (the X-axis direction in this case)in the display surface, and is allowed to maintain (fix) the displaysection 11 in an arbitrary bending state (warp state). Morespecifically, one shaft of a long shaft (an X axis) and a short shaft (aY axis) in the display section 11 is a movable shaft, and the othershaft is a fixed shaft. In this electronic book 1, as an example, thelong shaft (the X axis) and the short shaft (the Y axis) in the displaysection 11 are the movable shaft and the fixed shaft, respectively. Inother words, while the electronic book 1 is allowed to be bent in athickness direction (the Z-axis direction) thereof by moving the longshaft, the short shaft is the fixed shaft; therefore, the electronicbook 1 is not allowed to be bent by moving the short shaft. However,contrary to this example, the short shaft (the Y axis) and the longshaft (the X axis) in the display section 11 may be the movable shaftand the fixed shaft, respectively. In this case, while the electronicbook 1 is allowed to be bent in the thickness direction (the Z-axisdirection) thereof by moving the short shaft, the long shaft is thefixed shaft; therefore, the electronic book 1 is not allowed to be bentby moving the long shaft.

Moreover, a holding structure configured to hold a diameter (a bendingdiameter) in bending each of the flexible supporting members 12 a and 12b at a predetermined threshold value (a bending threshold value) or more(a structure configured to prevent the bending diameter from being lessthan the bending threshold value) is provided to each of the flexiblesupporting members 12 a and 12 b. More specifically, the structure is soconfigured as not to be bendable at a diameter less than diameters ofthe flexible supporting members 12 a and 12 b.

[Functional Block Configuration of Electronic Book 1]

Next, FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a functional block configurationof such an electronic book 1. The electronic book 1 may include, forexample, the display section 11, a detection section 13, a displaycontrol section 141, an audio output control section 142, and an audiooutput section 15 in the enclosure 10, and includes the above-describedpair of flexible supporting members 12 a and 12 b (bending controlsections).

The detection section 13 is configured to indirectly detect a bend orthe like of the electronic book 1 (the display section 11) by anoperation or the like by a user, for example, by detecting bendingpositions and bending degrees (bending diameters) of the flexiblesupporting members 12 a and 12 b, and is configured with use of apredetermined bending sensor or the like. Examples of such a bendingsensor may include an acceleration sensor, a force sensor, a pressuresensor, a strain sensor, and a gyro sensor. Thus, the detection section13 is allowed to detect, for example, whether or not the bendingdiameter in the flexible supporting members 12 a and 12 b is reduced tonear the above-described predetermined bending threshold value (abending diameter Rc>a bending threshold value Rth, and Rc≈Rth). It is tobe noted that, in this case, a detection result by the detection section13 is output to the display control section 141 and the audio outputcontrol section 142.

The display control section 141 is configured to perform control(display control) to supply an image signal to the display section 11from one pixel to another and display an image on the display section11.

The audio output section 15 is allowed to output predetermined sound,and may be configured with use of, for example, a speaker.

The audio output control section 142 is configured to perform control(audio control) to supply an audio signal to the audio output section 15and output sound by the audio output section 15.

In this case, in the electronic book 1 of this embodiment, when thedetection section 13 detects that the bending diameters Rc of theflexible supporting members 12 a and 12 b are reduced to near thepredetermined bending threshold value Rth (when such a detection resultis input from the detection section 13), the electronic book 1 has afunction of giving a warning about that to the outside. Morespecifically, a warning that the flexible supporting members 12 a and 12b are bent near the limit is given by the display control section 141with use of the display section 11 or by the audio output controlsection 142 with use of the audio output section 15. In other words, thedisplay control section 141, the audio output control section 142, thedisplay section 11, and the audio output section 15 correspond tospecific examples of “warning section” in the present disclosure. It isto be noted that such a warning operation will be described in detaillater.

[Functions and Effects of Electronic Book 1]

In this electronic book 1, each of the display section 11, the enclosure10, and the flexible supporting members 12 a and 12 b is made of a softmaterial (has flexibility). Therefore, the user is allowed to open orclose the electronic book 1 in a same way as that the user treats anactual book made of paper. For example, when an image (for example, animage indicating one page of a book) is displayed on the display section11 in a state in which the electronic book 1 is opened, the user isallowed to read the page while holding the electronic book 1 in bothhands or one hand or while having (placing) the electronic book 1 openon a table or the like.

(Functions by Flexible Supporting Members 12 a and 12 b)

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4A, the movable shaft in bending thedisplay section 11 is limited to one direction (the Y-axis direction inthis case) in the display surface by free deformation characteristicsalong one direction of the flexible supporting members 12 a and 12 b,for example, as illustrated in FIG. 2B. In other words, while theelectronic book 1 is allowed to be bent in the thickness direction (theZ-axis direction) thereof by moving the long shaft, the short shaft isthe fixed shaft; therefore, the electronic book 1 is not allowed to bebent by moving the short shaft (the Y axis). Therefore, compared to acase where the display section 11 is allowed to be bent (warped) in anarbitrary direction, the display section 11 is less prone to breakage,and a display image on the display section 11 is more easily viewed.

Moreover, the display section 11 is allowed to be maintained in anarbitrary bending state (warp state) by these flexible supportingmembers 12 a and 12 b. Therefore, the electronic book 1 is allowed to beused at an arbitrary bending degree including a flat state when in use,for example, as illustrated in FIG. 4B (when an display image is viewed)and when not in use, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 4A (forexample, when the electronic book is stored or carried in a foldedstate). In other words, the electronic book 1 (the display section 11)is allowed to be maintained in an arbitrary bending shape (however, asdescribed above, a bending shape with use of the X axis as the movableshaft in this case) depending on a convenient bending mode for the user.As a result, the user is allowed to easily treat the electronic book 1while having a feeling of carrying, for example, a mat or the likeinstead of a feeling of carrying a plate-like apparatus.

(Warning Operation)

Moreover, in this electronic book 1, when the flexible supportingmembers 12 a and 12 b are bent near the limit, a warning about that isgiven to the outside. More specifically, when the detection section 13detects that the bending diameters Rc of the flexible supporting members12 a and 12 b are reduced to near the bending threshold value Rth, theelectronic book 1 gives a warning to the outside with use of one or bothof image display by the display section 11 and audio output by the audiooutput section 15.

In other words, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, when it isdetected that the bending diameters Rc of the flexible supportingmembers 12 a and 12 b are bent near the limit, the display controlsection 141 performs display control on the display section 11 todisplay a predetermined warning on the display section 11 (refer to areference numeral P1 in FIG. 5).

Alternatively, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, when it isdetected that the bending diameters Rc of the flexible supportingmembers 12 a and 12 b are bent near the limit, the audio output controlsection 142 performs audio output control on the audio output section 15to output predetermined warning sound by the audio output section 15(refer to a reference numeral P2 in FIG. 6).

The user is allowed to recognize, by such a warning operation, thatthere is a possibility that the electronic book 1 (the flexiblesupporting members 12 a and 12 b) is broken when the electronic book 1(the flexible supporting members 12 a and 12 b) is bent more; therefore,breakage of the electronic book 1 is allowed to be prevented.

As described above, in this embodiment, while the movable shaft inbending the display section 11 is limited to one direction in thedisplay surface, the flexible supporting members 12 a and 12 b (thebending control sections) capable of maintaining the display section 11in an arbitrary bending state are provided; therefore, while the displaysection 11 is less prone to breakage, a display image is allowed to beeasily viewed, and use at an arbitrary bending degree is achievable.Therefore, in the electronic book 1 (the display unit or the electronicapparatus) having flexibility, convenience to user is allowed to beimproved.

Moreover, such bending control is performed with use of the flexiblesupporting members 12 a and 12 b; therefore, the flexible supportingmembers 12 a and 12 b are allowed to be fabricated at low cost, becausethe configurations of the flexible supporting members 12 a and 12 b aresimple.

MODIFICATION EXAMPLES

Although the technology of the present disclosure is described referringto the embodiment, the present technology is not limited thereto, andmay be variously modified.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, a case where the“bending control section” in the present disclosure is configured withuse of the flexible supporting members is described as an example;however, the present technology is not limited thereto. Specifically,for example, the bending control section may be configured with use ofany other member such as memory metal, artificial muscle, and an airburr.

Moreover, the arrangement mode of the bending control sections (theflexible supporting members) is not limited to that described in theabove-described embodiment, and any other arrangement mode may beadopted. For example, like the electronic book 1 illustrated in FIG. 7A,three or more bending control sections (three flexible supportingmembers 12 a, 12 b, and 12 c in this case) may be so provided in thedisplay surface (the X-Y plane) as to extend along a movable shaft (theX-axis direction in this case). Alternatively, like the electronic book1 illustrated in FIG. 7B, a single bending control section (a singleflexible supporting member 12 in this case) may be uniformly provided onan entire surface (a back surface side in this case) of the electronicbook 1. Moreover, for example, the bending control section may not beattached on the enclosure, but may be provided to the display section(on the display section).

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a case where each of thedisplay section and the enclosure has an anisotropic shape (arectangular shape) is described as an example; however, the presenttechnology is not limited thereto, and each of the display section andthe enclosure may have any other shape, for example, any of variousshapes such as a square shape, any other polygonal shape, a circularshape, and an oval shape.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment and the like, theelectronic book is cited as an example of the display unit or theelectronic apparatus of the present disclosure; however, the displayunit or the electronic apparatus of the present disclosure is notlimited thereto. In other words, the display unit or the electronicapparatus of the present disclosure may be used for electronicapparatuses such as various portable apparatuses (notebook PCs (PersonalComputers), portable audio players, cellular phones, and PDAs (PersonalDigital Assistants). Moreover, the display unit and the electronicapparatus of the present disclosure may be generally used not only as abook reader but also as a display unit or an electronic apparatusallowing the user to browse a music player, a video player, a photoviewer, a map application, a web browser, and the like.

It is to be noted that the present technology is allowed to havefollowing configurations.

(1) A display unit including:

-   -   a display section having flexibility; and    -   a bending control section configured to limit a movable shaft in        bending the display section to one direction in a display        surface and allowed to maintain the display section in an        arbitrary bending state.

(2) The display unit according to (1), including an enclosure havingflexibility and containing the display section in a visible manner,

-   -   in which the bending control section is attached on the        enclosure.

(3) The display unit according to (2), in which

-   -   each of the display section and the enclosure has an anisotropic        shape having a long shaft and a short shaft, and    -   one shaft of the long shaft and the short shaft is the movable        shaft, and the other shaft is a fixed shaft.

(4) The display unit according to (3), in which

-   -   the long shaft as the one shaft is the movable shaft, and    -   the short shaft as the other shaft is the fixed shaft.

(5) The display unit according to (3), in which

-   -   the short shaft as the one shaft is the movable shaft, and    -   the long shaft as the other shaft is the fixed shaft.

(6) The display unit according to any one of (3) to (5), in which

-   -   each of the display section and the enclosure has a rectangular        shape, and    -   the bending control section is provided to extend along the        movable shaft at each of both ends along the fixed shaft of the        enclosure.

(7) The display unit according to any one of (2) to (6), in which theenclosure is configured with use of a transparent film.

(8) The display unit according to any one of (1) to (7), in which thebending control section has a holding structure configured to hold abending diameter thereof at a predetermined threshold value or more.

(9) The display unit according to (8), including a warning sectionconfigured to give a warning to the outside when it is detected that thebending diameter is reduced to near the threshold value.

(10) The display unit according to (9), in which the warning sectiongives a warning to the outside by using one or both of image display bythe display section or audio output.

(11) The display unit according to any one of (1) to (10), in which thebending control section is configured with use of a flexible supportingmember.

(12) The display unit according to any one of (1) to (11), in which thedisplay section is configured with use of an organic electroluminescencedevice, a liquid crystal device, or an electrophoretic device.

(13) An electronic apparatus provided with a display unit, the displayunit including:

-   -   a display section having flexibility; and    -   a bending control section configured to limit a movable shaft in        bending the display section to one direction in a display        surface and allowed to maintain the display section in an        arbitrary bending state.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that variousmodifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and alterations may occurdepending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they arewithin the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display unit, comprising: a flexible displaypanel configured to display an image based on an image signal; and asupporting member configured to: maintain the flexible display panel ina fixed bending state along a first direction; and maintain the flexibledisplay panel in a flat state along a second direction that isperpendicular to the first direction, wherein the supporting membercomprises: a core having a resin material; a first control member on afront surface side of the core; and a second control member on a backsurface side of the core.
 2. The display unit according to claim 1,further comprising an input device that includes an operation button. 3.The display unit according to claim 2, wherein the input device furtherincludes a plurality of operation buttons along the second direction. 4.The display unit according to claim 1, further comprising an exteriormember that includes a transparent material and a non-transparent framemember.
 5. The display unit according to claim 4, wherein thetransparent material includes a resin film.
 6. The display unitaccording to claim 1, wherein the supporting member is furtherconfigured to maintain the flexible display panel in an arbitrarybending state along the first direction.
 7. The display unit accordingto claim 1, wherein the supporting member is on a substantially entireback surface of the flexible display panel.
 8. The display unitaccording to claim 1, further comprising detection circuitry configuredto issue a warning based on a bending diameter of the flexible displaypanel that reaches a bending threshold value.
 9. The display unitaccording to claim 1, wherein the core includes a laminated structure ofa member selected from a group consisting of a resin sheet, athermoplastic resin film and a combination thereof.
 10. The display unitaccording to claim 1, wherein the flexible display panel and anenclosure of the flexible display panel are bendable along a first axisand are fixed along a second axis.
 11. The display unit according toclaim 10, wherein a bendability of the flexible display panel is limitedalong the first direction to maintain the flexible display panel in thefixed bending state along the first direction.